The present invention concerns a composition for treating fibers. More specifically, it concerns a composition for treating fibers to give the fiber material long-lasting antistatic properties, moisture and perspiration absorptivity, stain resistance, softness, smoothness, crease resistance, compression recoverability, etc.
In the past, treatment agents composed of various organopolysiloxanes and compositions thereof have been presented or proposed in order to give fiber materials softness, smoothness, crease resistance, and recoverability, etc.
For example, in order to give softness, a dimethylpolysiloxane oil and emulsions thereof are known. In order to give long-lasting softness, crease resistance and recoverability, a treatment agent composed of methyl hydrogen polysiloxane, hydroxyl endblocked dimethylpolysiloxane and a catalyst for condensation reactions; and a treatment agent composed of methyl hydrogen polysiloxane, diorganopolysiloxane containing vinyl groups, and a catalyst for addition reactions are known.
More recently, a treatment agent composed of an organopolysiloxane containing at least two epoxy groups in each molecule and an organopolysiloxane containing amino groups has been proposed in Japanese Patent Sho 48[1973]-17514 in order to make synthetic organic fibers smooth; a treatment agent composed of hydroxyl enblocked diorganopolysiloxane, organosilane containing amino groups and alkoxy groups in each molecule, and/or the partial hydrolysate and condensation product thereof, has been proposed in Japanese Patent Sho 53[1978]-36079; a treatment agent composed of aminoalkyltrialkoxysilane and organopolysiloxane containing epoxy groups has been proposed in Japanese Patent Sho 53[1978]-19715 and Sho 53[1978]-19716; and a trimethylsiloxy endblocked diorganopolysiloxane which contains at least two amino alkyl groups in each molecule is proposed in Japanese Patent Sho 53[1979]-98499.
However, these conventionally known treatment agents suffer various drawbacks. For example, the treatment agent which has as its principal component dimethylpolysiloxane oil has the drawback that its crease resistance and recoverability are not adequate, and its softness and smoothness lack durability.
The treatment agent who essential ingredient is alkoxysilane has the defect that when used as an emulsion the alkoxysilane tends to hydrolyze and the life span of the treatment bath is short. It also has the defect that it feels too stiff.
The treatment agent whose essential ingredient is methyl hydrogen polysiloxane has the drawback that the curing reaction is not adequate unless a catalyst is used. It further has the defect that when a catalyst is used, the life of the treatment bath becomes short; moreover, hydrogen gas is generated in large volume, with the danger of causing a fire or explosion. In the case of the treatment agents whose main ingredients are organopolysiloxanes containing epoxy groups and organopolysiloxanes containing amino groups, there are the drawbacks that there is considerable generation of static electricity due to friction, oily stains tend to adhere, and when used for underwear, moisture and perspiration absorptivity decline.
In order to improve these compositions, hydrophilic surfactants such as sulfuric acid ester salts of ricinoleic acid, Turkey red oil, polysiloxane-polyoxyalkylene copolymer, the polyoxyethylene addition product of higher alcohols, etc., have come to be added to the treating agent. However, these surfactants have the drawback of lacking durability because they tend to dissolve in water or in the organic solvents which are used in dry cleaning and tend to wash off with repeated laundering.